Our School
Elmhurst Preparatory School of Early Learning is a Reggio Emilia inspired school. We value our students and see them as capable, intelligent, and full of ideas with a hundred languages. The students, families, teachers, and environment are at our core. We all work together and play important roles within our school community. Through our classroom philosophy and curriculum, we provide a place where children can grow intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
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Our Philosophy
At Elmhurst Preparatory School of Early Learning, we have developed a curriculum which leaves room for our early childhood teachers to differentiate lesson planning within each classroom based on the individual strengths, needs, and developmental stages of the students.
Elmhurst Prep is where character and education build a strong foundation for our future. Our goal is to cultivate your child’s own natural desire to learn. Our program is inspired from the Reggio Emilia schools, located in Reggio Emilia, Italy. We allow children to learn through talking and asking questions, by doing, interacting with peers and adults, and by being active participants in their learning.
Dedicated Educators
Elmhurst Preparatory School of Early Learning believes that high quality early education is directly related to high quality teachers and staff. Our classes are taught by dedicated and experienced educators. Using proven teaching strategies, they make sure that every student finds a path to success. The teaching faculty provides a unique level of expertise across all age levels, as degreed professional teachers implement our curriculum.
What is Reggio Emilia?
Reggio Emilia is an educational philosophy that was started in Reggio Emilia, Italy, shortly after WWII. It was developed by Loris Malaguzzi, a humanitarian and educator, alongside a group of parents, with the purpose of empowering children to take ownership of their learning experience. The Reggio philosophy is a constructivist learning theory, based on the image of the child and their potential to construct and build knowledge in their own unique way.
The main components of the Reggio Emilia philosophy:
Children
The Image of the Child is the belief that each child is a competent, trustworthy, and ambitious individual. Children are capable of contributing to their own learning experience. Therefore, children are viewed as essential collaborators who play an active role in the classroom. Every child adds value, and their thoughts, questions, and interests are honored.
100 Languages
The 100 Languages of the Child is the belief that children have countless ways of expressing themselves and communicating. All of their languages are encouraged, respected, and celebrated. Communication takes many forms such as movement, drawing, painting, building, music, and symbols.
Teachers
The teacher is a keen observer, documenter, and partner in the learning process who allows the children to; ask questions, generate and test their hypotheses, explore and generate many possibilities, and communicate their ideas to others. Teachers act as guides and are seen as co-learners and co-collaborators. Teachers create an environment full of discovery based on the children’s interests, and they continuously evolve the environment. The teacher serves as a model of lifelong learning.
Environment
The environment serves as the third teacher. The classroom is warm, intentional, and engaging. Material is chosen with purpose and encourages curiosity, communication, and relationship.
Loris Malaguzzi described the classroom as a “living organism, a place of shared relationship among the children, the teachers, and the parents” where they have a “feeling of belonging in a world that is alive, welcoming, and authentic.”
Documentation
Documentation is a key element in the Reggio Approach. Documenting children’s daily experiences and ongoing projects gives meaning and identity to all that the children do. It is through the documentation that the teachers are able to gain insight into the thoughts of the children, determine further investigation for working on topics, create a history of the work, and generate further interest.
As children are exploring and learning, teachers observe and take notes. They document the children’s interactions, learning processes, and growth. Documentation can include photos, videos, artwork, portfolios, or writing. It is a vital component in reflecting on and demonstrating the educational process showing the value in the children’s work. Teachers evaluate and exchange their findings with one another to brainstorm changes to the environment and the direction of the project learning. Documentation also serves as a communication tool between teachers and parents.
Parents
Parent involvement communicates to the child that their learning and work are important. Parents are encouraged to participate and share their interests with the school community by contributing: resources, knowledge, time, or skills.
Project Approach
Our attentive teachers observe the interests of the students. Project studies grow and expand with the help of student inquiry. High quality materials are utilized and guest experts are invited in to help further the learning process. Students will expand their knowledge and develop important literacy, math, art, and science skills as they document their observations, engage in learning activities, and make discoveries.
Nature Exploration
As an important component to learning, students spend quality time learning and exploring outdoors expanding their knowledge about the world around them. In addition to outdoor learning, teachers bring natural materials into the classrooms for further investigation.
Learning Centers and Curriculums
Teachers plan strategic activities and centers to help cultivate the children’s own natural desire to explore and learn. Teachers lead math, science, literacy, and global studies curriculums to allow students to flourish in all content areas.
Social-Emotional Learning
One of the most important skills that children learn during this important stage of life is how to interact with adults, their peers, and their surroundings. Each day students will develop their interpersonal skills as they engage in dramatic play, take turns at centers, and participate in group activities. Your child’s intrapersonal skills will continue to grow as they learn to identify and regulate their emotions through social stories and group activities. Our goal is to help cultivate an environment of respect for others and kindness in the classroom, laying the foundation for a lifetime of positive relationships with others.
Fine Arts
Art
Students will explore and use a variety of mediums during art activities. Open-ended materials will allow students the opportunity to express their creativity. Artists will be studied to allow students to deepen their knowledge in this area.
Music
As children engage in singing, they increase their vocabulary and develop important literacy skills. Students can use instruments to express themselves and improve math skills as they learn patterns, rhythms, and repetition.
Dance
Creative movement allows students to engage in the arts and express themselves. Students increase muscle strength and spatial awareness as they participate in large motor movement.
Foreign Language
Children are exposed to the Spanish and French languages through music, art, and literature in the classroom.